Toy locomotive



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J. L. BONANNO ET AL TOY LOCOMOTIVE Nov. 17, 1953 Filed oct. 15, 1949 BY n? ATTORNEY N OV- 17, 1953 J. BoNANNo ETAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 TOY LOCOMOTIVE Hu H' Uuml Filed Oct. 15, 1949 C); um*

By JOSEPH L. BOA/ANNO A TTORNEY NOV- 17, 1953 J. L BONANNO ETAL TOY LOCOMOTIVE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. l5, 1949 a f d6 d y A TL 1J l l @y m ml m z C? i a mf 2 y y T Patented Nov. 17, 1953 TOY LOCOMOTIVE Joseph L. Bonanno, Madison, and Richard E.

Beger, Jersey City, N. J. Corporation, New York New York assignors to The Lionel N. Y., a corporation of Application October 15, 1949, Serial No. 121,494

Claims.

The present invention relates to toy locomotives and is more particularly directed toward toy locomotives having completely 'preassembled propulsion units adapted for securement in the body of the locomotive and employing a molded plastic housing.

According to the present invention, a two part molded plastic housing accommodates the propulsion motor, and carries the current collectors, the running gear and all electric connections between these parts, also preferably the headlight. The present invention contemplates the einployment of a two-part housing structure, one part carrying all the electrical parts of the motoi` and current carrying parts for supplying the motor and the headlight (where used), the other part carrying the driving gears adapted to interconnect the motor shaft with the driving wheels of the locomotive, and arranged so that it acts as a cover1 for the first mentioned housing part to hold all the pieces and parts in proper assembled relation.

Structural embodiments of the present invention are characterized by a minimum of soldering connections and by use of preassembled units and parts adapted toy be fitted into the housing parts without the use of tools, screws andv other securing devices. The locomotive contemplated by the present invention is one suitable for low priced manufacturing cost and yet has all the necessary parts to provide for all normal operations. of a toy electric locomotive.

The present application is directed, more particularly toward the, toy locomotive. propulsion unit as an entity. The structure shown herein includes a reversing switch mechanism and current` collecting mechanism which form the subject-matter of other applications led concurrently herewith as Serial No. 121,495v and Serial No. 121,496-,

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The accompanyingT drawings show, for purposes of illustrating thev present invention, one embodiment in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure l is a side` elevational view of a complete toy locomotive taken from the right-hand side, parts being broken away to illustrate. the propulsion unit;

Figure 2 is an inverted plan of the locomotive;

Figures 3 and 4 are side elevational views of the right housing part looking at it from the inside, showing respectively the housing part alone, with current conductors and motor parts normally carriedY by it, the movable part of the n10- tor'eld being in full lines in running position and in dot and dash lines in the released position for operating an automobile reversing switch;

Figure 5 is an inside elevational View of the left housing part with assembled gearing inside;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view through the locomotive housing and the propulsion unit taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive;

Figure 6a is a fragmentary section on the line Ea-ia of Figure 4,'

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the broken line 1-7 of Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 9;

Ftigure 8 is a front end view of the propulsion uni Figure 9 is an outer side elevational view of the left side of the propulsion unit;

Figure 1G is a fragmentary sectional View on the lines l-l0 of Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 12 to show the reversing switch;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional View on the lines lI-II of Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 12, showing the motor iield and reversing switch interconnections, the eld being in the released position in full lines and in the attracted position in dotted lines;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of the reversing switch, with the cover removed, and taken in the direction of the arrow I2 of Fig. 6; and Figure 13 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the same.

In. the drawings, the reference character L designates generally the locomotive body. This is a singlek piece of molded insulating or die cast material hollow from underneath and having the The propulsion unit P has a housing composed of two plastic moldings designated generally as 2l] for the right housing and 2i for the left housing. These housings are of generally rectangular shape.

The right housing part 2U has a vertical side wall 22, top wall 23, bottom wall 24, front wall 25 and rear wall 25, all terminating in a common plane. The bottom wall 24 is recessed as indicated at 2.?, 2l and centrally of these recesses carries lugs 23, 28. wall 22 are openings 29, 29 for the axle shafts,

3ra keep these weights in place. Adjacent the holes 29, 29 are forwardly or away from the bottom extending lugs 3|, 13| and intermediate these lugs is another forwardly extending lug 32. Above and laterally of the lug 32 are-two forwardly extending lugs 33, 33.

The recesses 21, 21 and lugs 2B, 28 are adapted to receive current collecting ducting strap 35 bears on these rollers and is held in place by the lug 32 and a rib 32 below the lug 32 entering notch 35. rihe strap 35 is resilient and yields when the rollers are on the third rail. The holes 2S receive the wheel axles 36, 36. A resilient conducting strip 3l bears On the axles 36, 36 and entends between the upper' face of lug 32 and the lower faces of lugs S3, 33, so that current can be carried from the power and wheel bearing rails into the locomotive housing. When the axles are out, the contact strip 31 bears on top of lugs 3|. These ends are bent up as indicated at 31' to facilitate inserting the axles. The conducting strip 3d is connected by a wire 3S with the coil 39 carried on one part 40 of a motor field F having a separate movable part 4|. The motor field part 4e is held in place in the housing part 2B by locating pins A2, i2 projecting from the field structure it and entering recesses 43, 4d in the molded piece it. The ends 45, 4S of the field structure rest on raised bearing surfaces indicated at il and d8a, 48h, 48e, Fig. 3, so that the field structure il@ carrying the coil 3:) is definitely aligned with respect to the housing part Tthe other laminated part of the field, name- 1y, the part 4|, has pin d@ which enters an clongated recess 5i! in the elevated portion 5.1 of the rollers 34, 3d. Conhousing part 2t and another pin lli which bears against an elevated area 52 in the housing part 20. The motor field part il is in the position indicated in full lines in Figure i when the motor is in operation and is held against a stop 53 projecting forwardly from the side wall 22 of the housing part 2S. The field part il may be locked in this position or it may be brought to this position when current is applied to energize the motor because the magnetic field set up by the coil 39 through the held structure fill, 4| and the armature indicated generally at 54 will attract the movable field piece to this position.

The field coil 39 is connected by a wire 55 with a conducting strip 5t having a hole to nt about a pin 51, an extension 53 passing through a hole 59 in the housing part 2B, and a forward extension 6B downwardly bent as indicated at El to form a center contact for a headlamp. The grounded strap 31 has extension 63 passing through a hole 64 the housing part 2i] and be tween it and the lugs 33 is a strap @2 having a forward extension t5 apertured at tt and offset at G1 to form the other contact for the headlamp 68. The contacts 5| and are opposite a semi-cylindrical recess @t in the housing part 2li. The lamp bulb is therefore in series with the .field winding. The ends of the straps 5B and 63 which project through holes and are connected to reversing switch mechanism to be described. This mechanisni includes brush boxes 1U, 1D received in holes 1i and carrying spring pressed brushes 12 bearing on the disk type commutator 13 carried on the armature shaft 14 and connected to armature windings as usual. The end 15 of the armature shaft is received in bearing hole 1B.

The left housing part 2| shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 has a vertical. side wall top wail 8|, bottom wall 82, front wall and rear wall. 84 of the same configuration as the walls 23 to 25 of the outer housing part and adapted to meet it. It is provided with recesses 85 to meet dowel-lile pins 85 extending forwardly from the housing part 2|).

The housing part 2| is recessed as indicated at 81, 81 and provided with lugs iid, opposite the recesses 21 and lugs of the housing part 2i) so as to keep the contact rollers 3ft in place. lt axle openings @la opposite axle openings 29 and magnet receiving openings E@ similar to and opposite the magnet receiving openings It has a lug 8| opposite to but higher than lug il?! and rib 9| opposite the rib to hold the strips 35 and E52 in place. The housing part 2| has raised areas at S2 and with pin receiving recesses Sii, to accommodate the other ends of pins 42, 42 on the fixed held element fl" hold them securely in place when the nous are secured together. The housing part 2| has raised areas 55 carrying an elongated recess ill to accommodate the other end of pin it and a recess 95% to accommodate the other end of pin 5|. The housing parts are secured together by spring clips 99 received in notches et in the front and rear ends of the propulsion unit housing parts 2c and 2|.

The housing part 2 I carries a lateral offset gear bracket element indicated at lim. It has a shaft opening IBI for the end of the armature shaft 14 and an opening |02 for a shaft |03. The armature shaft carries a pinion iild in mesh with a gear |05 on the shaft |03 and this gear H35 carries a pinion |06 in mesh with a gear lill carried on a shaft |08 mounted in the housing part 2|.

The axles 36, 36 carry wheels |99, lili? provided with gear teeth H0, |||l in mesh with the gear ll and on the other side of the propulsion unit wheels so that the propulsion unit or the locomotive to which it is attached can be carried along the usual toy railroad track indicated at ||2. The wheels are made of magnetc material, so as to form, with the track, usually plated steel, and the magnet M, a magnetic circuit whereby magnetic loading of the locomotive is made possible. Such loadingl has been found to triple the tractive effort available.

The rear pilot truck T' has a truck body ||5 with a coupler hook ||6 extending past a cross bar ||1 formed in the locomotive molding. The truck ||5 has a forward extension lill with an upwardly bent end I9 (see Fig. 4) which enters into notches |2D, |29 in the housing parts 2i! and 2|. After the pilot truck has been thus connected to the locomotive propulsion unit housing, the housing is passed upwardly into the locomotive molding L to bring the aligned openings |21, |2| of the housing parts 2U, 2| opposite holes |23, |23 in the locomotive molding and a bolt |24 is passed through these aligned holes so as to secure the rear end of the propulsion unit in place. The parts 2|, 22 forming the propulsion unit housing are notched as indicated at |25 to receive ears |25, |25 carried by a cross strap |21 secured to the locomotive body L by screws 23. This cross strap carries the front pilot truck T.

The reversing switch The reversing switch and operation form the subject-matter of application Serial No. 121,495 filed concurrently herewith and is here described to show the completion of the connections for the motor.

When it is desired to operate the locomotive in but one direction, the movable element d! of the field structure is locked in the position shown in full lines by a lever |30 pivoted on a post ISB provided in the housing part 2l and projecting up 'through the locomotive body as indicated inffFgureel.: This il'everfholds :the field;Y against the stop 53 and against the-:held:

part 4| 40 and tiorr. on

.the motor Willpturnin` theasame direcyrepeated l applications of current.'4

When theI lever.- l 30-y isshifted;.to` the` dot `and dash fline position of VVFig. 1', .thenoseof thevlever isiawayyfrom the 'field' structurer4| sothat the eld istructure .f is free: to move.` about vthe, pivotv accomplished by a nawl.

49;y Thismovement is: |3:|.funder therr inuenceoLa coiled springA |32. This springt, is L Wound |34 carried-bythe` housingV part- 2|.' 'l'he` free end. l35=oftherspring |31!V is .behind the movable` eld.` part, as viewed .in.1iigure- 4,V` and" passes through-ahole'l36 in the `pavvl |3| and tends to shift this patvlupvvardly asfviewed in Figures 4- 11,.bringing.it against a stop member I38'car ried A byl the housing part .20.'

The pivot endv |39 ofthe pawl |3| is. received in;a.recess |40l formed in therhousing, part 21| andthe other endtof the pawl I3 l .passes through af. slot |42-Y inV the housing part 2l). This slot is considerably Wider than the pavvlA |3 the pawlrtohave a lateral as well-as backend forth movement.v The housing part 25 has a sloping-surface |43 leading'to the slot |42. The casing also has a sloping surfaceA |44 along which the end |36 of the spring rides. The pawl |3|as itl shifts back` and forth-due to the movement ofitheeld 4l, has a swinging theendV |39 and also has .-azslight back and :forth movement due tothe camming action of the surface |46 ofr` the pavvl against the surface |53 ofthe casing. As=a result, the nose |41 of the pawl'movestransversely as Well as in a generally vertical direction. Owing to the-sizeof the slot |424 it is also possible for thepav/l toswing from the full line position-of Figure 4 to the dot anddashline positionwhich is above and to the right of the full line position.

The pavvl is actuated each time the lever |30 isshifted, also each Vtime :the current is supplied to themotor. The-.nose |4'I'of the pawl |3| pro-- jectsinto an outwardly opening recess .|48 formed in. the housing part 20 so'that it is available for, operating. the reversing switch mechanisml carried. in this. recess.

The brush boxes '10, 10. are in-the form of metal turnings having brush receivingV recesses |49'.` The large diameter portions of the brush boxesare broached to form, as here shown; iive 4conducting segments marked |5QA., RC, D, and Ev andv l55a, b', c, d and e, respectively. Thev diameter ofv these segments isless thanv half the distance separating the centers of the brush boxes so that the segmentsthemselves are outof` contact. The breached turnings having the brush receiving openingsrandrthe conducting segments are used asv inserts for abody l! of molded insulation vhaving gear teeth I5 twice as numerous as the conducting segments. The teeth 25| onthe right-hand gear. box (Fig. 12v) are lined up with theA segments |50A, etc., while the teeth on the other brush box are'spanned by the segments M, etc` The outwardly projecting ends |52 of iield con'- nected contact strip 58 andv |53 of grounded contact 63 have offset prongs |54, |54 (Fig; 12) which enter holes |55 in contact springsv |56 and |51, respectively. These springs have ends |55a about apost |33 and.. isheldagainst slippinggofithe p ost bya matingpcst' l to allow" movement about dri'cal surface of the bruslrboxry The.;parts.-are=f.

sogfproportioned thatiwhen one conducting segment on'onebox contacts oneendiof one spring, the other.` endJ of f the other" springy contacts a" conducting segment ,cn theuotherbrush box, and,

current flows inone direction. Turning the boxes: one-tenth of a .revolution changes the contact'4 relation4 soV that current iiovvs, in Vthe .other direc,-

tion and: themotor direction is reversed.'l The:l reduced ends |58, and` are held in place by "a vcover'plate 59 secured .overY brush boxes 'l 0 have rentsupply to the-motor is interrupted, or onek manually releases the field by moving the` lever its., the spring |32. retractsthe pawl causing. itv to pass up by the adjacenttooth andk snap back` to the full line position' of lFigurev 13.

SinceY itis obvious thatthe. invention may be embodied incther forms and constructions with in the scope of the claims, We Wish it to be -understood that the particular form shown isbut one of these forms, and various modifications and changes being possible, We do not otherwise limitV ourselves in' any Way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

i. .A toy electric locomotive propulsion` unit" comprisingmating body and cover members made oi molded insulating material and securedtogether to forni a motor housing, the members having aligned axle bearing holes and aligned motor shaft bearing openings, wheel carrying axles passing through the axle holes-and; pro.- vided With driving gears, an armature shaft mounted inthe sha t bearing openings and carrying a pinion, an armature av disc-type com-- mutator, the coinmutator being near one housing member and facing the same and the pinion being near the other housing member, .reduction gearing carried by the latter housing member and connecting thepinion and wheel drivinggears, a'wound motor iield core intermediate the housing members7 and brush rigging housing member adjacent the commutator and including conducting tubes parallel with the shaft axis and. extending' through openings in said housingV member brushes in the tubes and bearing onthe face of the commutator.

2v. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit, comprising mating bodyy and cover togetherto; form` a having aligned axle bearing holes and aligned motor shaft bearing openings,v Wheel carrying axles passing throughl the axle holes and providedy with driving gears, mountedin the shaft bearing openings and carrying e.. pinion, ari-armature and a commutator, the

commutator beingV near onefhousingA member and' in front of it and turns the gearv carried by they membersv made o-f moldedinsulfatingmaterial and securedv motor housing', the membersan armature shaft 7. said housing member and bearing on the commutator, current collectors carried by the housing members and projecting below the same to contact a power rail, a spring strap in the bearing on the current collectors to press them downwardly and held in place and under tension by the housing members, a second housing received spring strap bearing on the axles and held in place by the housing members, a lead secured to one strap and to the winding of the rnotor held, a lead from the other strap 'to the brush rigging, and a lead from the brush rigging toi the field winding.

3. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit comprising two internally recessed, mating body `and cover members made or insulating material secured together' to form a motor housing, the body member having an armature shaft bearing opening and brush box openings, brush rigging carried on the outside of the body member, conducting straps supported by the body member and extending through holes therein and forming leads to the brush rigging, a motor field structure carried by the body member and having a iield winding connected to one of said conducting straps, the body member having openings, a resilient conducting strap received in the body member and having ends opposite the axle openings and connected to the other brush rigging conducting strap, current collectors carried by the body member, a second resilient conducting strap having ends bearing en the current collectors and connected by a lead to the field windan armature unit having a shaft end in the shaft bearing opening, a pinion on the other end and a commutator adjacent the brush boxes, brushes in the brush boxes, the cover bearing against the resilient conducting straps and the eld structure to hold them in place and having a shaft bearing to receive and axle openings opposite the hrst mentioned axle openings, axles in the axle openings, wheels on the axles and provided with drivin" gears, and gearing carried by the cover member and connecting the pinion and the driving gears.

the armature shaft 4. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the faces of the housing members are recessed to form a lamp bulb receiving opening and the straps connected to the brush rigging have extensions fitted in the body member and terminating opposite one another and the opening, and forming a soclret to receive a lamp bulb so that the lamp may be in series with the :Field winding.

5. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit comprising an insulating housing having two mating pieces of molded insulating material side by side, one carrying brush rigging and brushes, the other carrying reduction gearing, vertically movable current collectors loosely carried by the housing and extending downwardly therefrom for contact with a power rail, housing carried axles having geared drive wheels in mesh with the gearing, a motor having a wound field and a rotor in the housing, the rotor having a commutator cooperable with the brushes and a pinion in mesh with the reduction gearing, two conducting straps one bearing on the axles and the other on the current collectors, one connected to the motor iield, the mating pieces of the housing having opposed cavities which receive the said straps and opposed abutments which hold them in place, the other to the brush rigging, and a third conducting strap carried by one of the housing pieces and connected to the other side of the field winding and to the brush rigging.

6. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit comprising a two-part molded housing, each part having normally vertical side walls and inwardly facing top, bottom and end walls which meet to form a substantially closed housing, the parts having pairs of aligned axle openings through the vertical walls, pairs of registering current collector openings in the bottom walls, axles in the axle openings, current collectors in the collector openings, a housing-received resilient conducting strap bearing on the axles, a housing-received resilient conducting strap bearing on the current collectors, the housing parts having lugs engaging the straps to hold them in place and under tension, the housing parts having aligned shaft bearings, an armature shaft carried in the shaft bearings and carrying a commutator adjacent one housing part and a pinion adjacent the other housing part, the vertical wall of the housing part adjacent the commutator having brush openings and brush lead openings, brush boxes in the brush openings carrying brushes bearing on the commutator, brush leads including straps passing through the corresponding openings and connected to one of the resilient straps, a motor field structure having studs entering recesses in the housing part to secure it in place and a field winding, wires connecting the field winding to the other lead strap and the other resilient strap and means to secure the housing parts together.

7. A `toy electric locomotive propulsion unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the vertical wall of the said other housing part is offset about the shaft bearing and has a downwardh7 opening gear space, an idler shaft below the armature shaft, a pair of gears carried by the idler shaft one of which is in mesh with the pinion on the armature shaft and projects through the gear space, an additional shaft carried below the other shafts, and a gear meshing with one of the latter mentioned gears and drivingly connected with the axles.

8. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit comprising mating body and cover members made of molded insulating material and secured together to form a motor housing, the members having aligned axle bearing holes and aligned motor shaft bearing openings, wheel carrying axles passing through the axle holes and provided with driving gears, an armature shaft mounted in the shaft bearing openings and carrying a pinion, an armature and a commutator, the conirnutator being near one housing member and the pinion near the other housing member, the bearing opening in said other housing member being in an offset bracket providing a downwardly opening gear space, reduction gearing carried by the bracket below the pinion connecting the pinion and wheel driving gears, a motor field intermediate the housing members, and brush rigging carried by the housing member adjacent the commutatoi` and including brushes extending through openings in said housing member and bearing on the commutator.

9. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit comprising two insulating internally recessed housing parts meeting on a longitudinal vertical plane and clamped together, a mtor field structure held in place between and by the housing parts and having a field winding, a rotor having a horizontal armature shaft mounted on the housing parts, a disk commutator and a driving pinion, brush rigging carried by the housing part adjacent the commutator, axles passing through the housing parts and carrying driving wheels exterior to the housing, gearing connecting the pinion and the driving wheels, a plurality of sheet metal conductingI strips, one bearing on the current collectors, a second on the axles, a third bearing on the second and connected to one side of the brush rigging, and a fourth connected to the other side of the brush rigging, the housing parts having conductor strip locating and supporting elements whereby all the strips are denitely located, flexible field leads secured to one of the rst two strips and to the fourth strip.

10. A toy electric locomotive propulsion unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the brush rigging extends through openings in said housing part to be externally accessible and the brush connected strips extend through other openings in said housing part.

, JOSEPH L. BONANNO.

RICHARD E. BEGER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Carpenter et al May 4, 1880 Viall Apr. 4, 1911 Hornby Oct. 24, 1916 Forchheimer June 24, 1924 Hanley Jan. 19, 1932 Cowen et al. Oct. 31, 1933 Boisselier June 5, 1934 Boisselier May 21, 1935 Jeppsson Mar. 17, 1936 Bonanno Apr. 28, 1936 Youhouse Mar. 24, 1942 Schulz Nov. 2, 1948 Gorfin et al Mar. 29, 1949 Jepson Nov. 14, 1950 Nehrke Dec. 11, 1951 

